The coronavirus disease COVID-19 continues to spread at the regional and global levels. As of 1 October 2022, the global cumulative incidence reached 615 090 810 reported cases and 6 536 953 associated deaths at a case-fatality ratio (CFR) of 1.06%. Meanwhile, the 22 countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) have reported a total of 23 089 519 cases, representing about 3.75% of the global count, with 348 390 associated deaths (CFR 1.51%). Most countries in the Region are in the community transmission phase.

Since the beginning of the outbreak, the country that has reported the highest number of total cases in the Region is Islamic Republic of Iran (7 549 186; 32.70% of the Region’s total), followed by Iraq (2 460 318; 10.66%) and Jordan (1 746 997; 7.57%). Islamic Republic of Iran also reported the highest number of total COVID-19 associated deaths (144 429; CFR 1.91%), followed by Pakistan (30 616; CFR 1.95%) and Tunisia (29 249; CFR 2.55%). The highest CFRs were reported by Yemen (18.07%), followed by Sudan (7.84%) and Syria (5.52%), while the lowest CFRs were reported by United Arab Emirates (0.23%), Bahrain (0.22) and Qatar (0.15%).

During epidemiological week 39, the Region reported a decrease in cases by 20% when compared to the previous week (17 193 cases compared to 21 370 cases). A decrease by 43% was also observed for associated deaths (79 deaths in the current week compared to 139 deaths in the previous week).

The weekly number of cases have decreased in all countries of the Region except in 4 out of 22 countries compared to the previous week. This week the number of COVID-19 associated deaths also decreased in all countries of the Region except in 3 out of 22 countries as compared to the previous week.*

In terms of testing, a total of 432 249 337 laboratory tests were conducted since the start of the outbreak across the Region including 1 765 029 tests in week 39, which shows a 4% decrease as compared to the previous week when 1 841 088 tests were conducted. The highest number of PCR tests were reported from United Arab Emirates (190 975 845), followed by Islamic Republic of Iran (54 112 310) and Saudi Arabia (44 332 457). The average positivity rate for the Region is 5.34%. WHO recommends a positivity rate of around 3% to 12% as a general benchmark indicating adequate testing, which was achieved in most countries of the Region.

Meanwhile, COVID-19 vaccination continues across the Region. The total number of doses administered so far in the 22 countries is 826 429 004. Pakistan has administered the highest number of doses at 310 629 295, followed by Islamic Republic of Iran at 154 472 443 and Egypt at 98 911 424. On the other hand, Bahrain (3 471 358), Yemen (1 065 395) and Djibouti (264 130) administrated the lowest number of COVID-19 vaccine doses in the Region.**

Supporting countries in the Region

The regional incident management support team continues to coordinate the response and provide technical support to countries and partners in the Region in the areas of coordination and partnership, surveillance, laboratory capacity, clinical management, infection prevention and control, risk communication and community engagement, points of entry according to the International Health Regulations (2005), research, health systems, and essential health services among others.

Source: World Health Organization